


Higher Than Higher

by endlessmasquerading



Series: Just Miracles Of Matter [2]
Category: Figure Skating RPF
Genre: Fluff, I'm talking candyfloss and butterflies, Kissing, M/M, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, and kisses, like fluff of the highest order, no literally there is an actual butterfly, seriously people go find a detist when you are done with this I literally have no plot here, where plot should be
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-01
Updated: 2019-05-01
Packaged: 2020-02-15 18:39:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18675268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/endlessmasquerading/pseuds/endlessmasquerading
Summary: aka What Jason Saw In The Library. Shoma has to study. Yuzuru has other plans...and is very good at getting exactly what he wants, which right now? Is just one kiss. The only problem? Turns out Shoma isn't so good at counting...Part of my Just Miracles Of Matter AU which can also be read as a stand-alone. This is set between Ch.7 and Ch.8 for fluffy nonsense and good times in place of the drama.





	Higher Than Higher

**Author's Note:**

> So, since my last update ended...somewhat dramatically...I thought maybe my lovely Just Miracles readers could do with something to lighten the mood a little...and since a few of you were wondering what exactly it was Jason saw in the library that had Shoma blushing so hard in Ch.8, it kind of made sense for this oneshot to become the start of making this AU into a series. I hope you all enjoy and that it makes up a little for all the tears! Title from Higher Than Higher by Take That, which was definitely my main soundtrack for writing this one if you want to check it out! (Twin, I'm gonna talk your ear off in the endnotes, but thank you for being the reason I wrote this 💖) 
> 
> So, if you're ready for some cavities everyone? I think I have some candyfloss that can take care of that for you...

You needed a pass to get into the stacks; it was a piece of information Shoma couldn’t ever remember being told, he simply knew it. The same way he knew Ghislain spent Sunday afternoons catching up on paperwork in the Constellation Café and that you had to jerk the handle up on the door to Yuzuru’s room to stop it sticking, the same way he knew the exact time of day the sun caught the sprays from the courtyard’s fountains and turned them into rainbows, that the best batch of the bakery’s butterscotch cookies was always the third one of the day and that Tracy’s lecture hall turned to ice on windy days – it was knowledge that slipped in because he watched and he listened and, sometimes, he didn’t entirely tune out into his own world. You needed a pass to get into the stacks, and Yuzuru had one, because Shoma had watched him swipe his card through the reader on the door at the back of the library’s ground floor that morning and push open the heavy metal door.

The stacks were a vast, temperature-controlled maze filled with row upon row of rolling metal bookcases which towered so high up they had to have ladders attached; the space housed all the Foundation’s oldest books and documents, with worktables spaced out between the walls of document boxes and a curious skylight ceiling with a type of UV-filtering glass in it that tinted everything into hues of blue and silver beneath the cool hum of the air conditioners. It was peaceful, still but for the light swish of the cold, filtered air as it ruffled through Shoma’s fringe. He shivered a little, and, without a word Yuzuru let go of his hand in order to shrug off his jacket, handing it over with a soft, knowing smile. Shoma let out a happy sigh as he pulled it on, and Yuzuru’s face crinkled fondly, his eyes dark but glittering in the curiously ethereal grey light as he took Shoma’s hand once more and tugged him onwards. Shoma followed, slipping his other hand into the pocket of the jacket and absently running his fingers along the smooth edges of the small stacks pass card; he hadn’t placed much significance on it when they had been on the other side of the door, but now he understood some initiation of something in it that sent a strange thrill through him. Yuzuru shot him a sidelong glance, his smile a faint curve, and Shoma felt his stomach flip over; he narrowed his eyes at Yuzuru slightly, licking at his bottom lip and pushing back against Yuzuru’s lightning with just a hint of defiant sunlight.  
‘I have to study, Yuzu,’ he said, and Yuzuru pursed his lips into a small, pink line, eyes glinting as he bobbed his head slightly, his expression anything but chastened.  
‘And I have to study too,’ he replied, shrugging and quirking an eyebrow at Shoma with impish glee. ‘Why…is it my fault your mind wandered, huh?’ Shoma attempted to level a scowl at him, aiming a vague kick at his shin.  
‘Everything is always your fault, Thunder Boy.’ Yuzuru wrinkled his nose, pouting lightly.  
‘You people are such spoilsports; what’s life without a little chaos?’ Shoma smirked and Yuzuru rolled his eyes, suppressing a smile as he twisted airily away, unbalancing Shoma as he dragged him along with him. Shoma leant into his side slightly.  
‘Boring,’ he whispered, pressing a quiet, understated kiss to Yuzuru’s shoulder, and Yuzuru caught his eye, a hint of a smile in his gaze. ‘Life without chaos. Definitely boring.’ Shoma wrinkled his nose slightly then, straightening up and rolling his eyes. ‘But also less stressful…and the only reason for my inability to hand stuff in on time would be laziness.’ He stuck his tongue out at Yuzuru then, lifting one shoulder in an idle shrug. ‘I’m just putting that out there. As a helpful suggestion going forwards,’ he added. ‘Less drama, more naps, that kind of thing.’ Yuzuru let out a bright laugh, twirling Shoma under his arm and then pulling him close again, dropping a kiss to the side of his face.  
‘You’re awful,’ he hummed, squeezing Shoma’s hand tightly.  
‘And so are you,’ Shoma replied, glancing down with a hint of a smile, and Yuzuru smiled too, stepping back and tugging them down another aisle of bookshelves, their shoulders bumping teasingly as they went.

There was something about the complicated, zigzagging path Yuzuru took to the stacks’ reading room that felt like a spell; it was thrilling and intimate, like a whispered conversation in an overcrowded room, and Shoma leant into the feeling, enjoying the way it made his whole body hum. Giddy and silly and electric as he was, Yuzuru made everything feel easier; he was a chaos of thunder, wild-hearted and unyielding, but he looked at the world through eyes which were impossibly kind, placing value even in flaws and only judging those who truly deserved it – he placed no expectations on their time together, he didn’t demand Shoma’s words or even his attention, and, somehow, that made them easier things for Shoma to give, taking away the danger with his ready openness. Yuzuru made just enough space between the two of them and the rest of the world that it became that less of a trial to stop holding his breath; he didn’t need to be on guard, he didn’t need to assume the worst of himself. He was still Shoma, with his rough edges and his too-long sleeves – but Yuzuru reminded him, with every look, that that wasn’t all he was, and that it didn’t make him any less. Yuzuru adored his mess – and no matter how many times he saw the worst of it, it didn’t stop him believing in Shoma’s strength. “Being boundless is a messy business, Shoma. No one tries to order around the sun, though.” And maybe Yuzuru understood that better than anyone, because he was the same, in so many ways; tied up in contradictions and hidden fractures, a soul of thunder and a softer heart than he was ever allowed to admit to. The two of them were forged of the same steel, and their chests held courts which were bound by the same laws and regulations, stubborn and kind and golden – cracked and worn and beaten-at, but unshakeable at the foundations. Yuzuru squeezed his fingers and Shoma blinked, gazing up into his face a little unfocusedly, and Yuzuru’s lips twitched up just a little, fond and sweet as he placed a sticky, marshmallow kiss to the back of his hand.  
‘Where’d you go, Daydreamer, huh?’ he laughed softly. ‘Always up in the clouds, Shoma.’ Shoma frowned slightly, bumping into his shoulder reproachfully.  
‘Who said I went anywhere; maybe with you is up in clouds already, huh?’ Yuzuru tipped his head slightly, spinning around to walk backwards into the reading room and pursing his lips to try to keep down his smile.  
‘You’re sweet sometimes,’ he said, pulling Shoma a little closer so he stumbled forwards before placing a kiss to his forehead. ‘Not often, but it happens.’ Shoma laughed despite himself, shoving him away with a half-hearted pout.  
‘Shut up,’ he mumbled, shaking his head slightly and rolling his eyes as he threw his backpack down onto the large, green-leather-topped desk in the centre of the room. ‘I’m basically calling you high, most people wouldn’t take that as a compliment.’ Yuzuru let out one of his loud, ridiculous laughs, his head thrown back as he flopped down into the chair on the opposite side of the desk.  
‘I guess I’m not most people,’ he shrugged, eyes twinkling, and Shoma smiled, glancing down and biting at his lip.  
‘Oh, you are definitely not “most people”,’ he murmured, risking a glance in Yuzuru’s direction and shrugging one shoulder awkwardly. ‘Especially not to me.’ Yuzuru’s smile was silly-wild, his eyes two crescents and his face crinkled up delightedly.  
‘You’re just saying that so I shut up and let you study, right?’ he joked, wrinkling his nose at Shoma slightly, and Shoma laughed, giving a small shake of his head.  
‘No. You should know by now: I don’t say anything I don’t mean.’ Yuzuru’s lips twitched into something faint and gentle, eyes shining and the barest hint of a blush colouring his cheeks in blossom-pink. He was pretty and summer-golden beneath the glow of the primrose and cowslip coloured room, and Shoma’s ribs felt tight as he watched his body become a little softer, his slight, wiry strength gentling into easy grace and childishly haphazard limbs.  
‘Of course,’ Yuzuru said gently. ‘To be Shoma is to be honest, wise and…just a little confused; your hair never falls the same way twice and you only ever want to watch the same movies over and over, you lose your jackets and you laugh when you spill coffee on my stuff because you’re a demon and you’re a brat and you’re the most chaotic, brilliant, kind-hearted human with a sly sense of humour and terrible sense of timing…and I wouldn’t want it any other way.’ His fringe fluttered just a little in the breeze of the air conditioning, and he shifted in his seat, kicking Shoma’s shin gently beneath the desk. ‘Now stop staring at me and get on with your coursework already.’ Shoma opened his mouth then closed it again quickly, shaking his head in an effort to hide the soft, overwhelmed smile on his face.  
‘I’m staring because I can’t get over how dumb you are,’ he huffed, voice small and tight, and he rolled his shoulders to steady himself, sticking his tongue out. Yuzuru snorted, pulling a face at him.  
‘This from the same person who I had to stop from putting salt in his coffee three mornings in a row.’ Shoma wrinkled his nose, kicking at Yuzuru’s shin again when he laughed.  
‘No one is smart before midday, Yuzu – no one you should trust anyway.’ Yuzuru tipped his head to one side.  
‘I can be smart before midday, though,’ he pouted, and Shoma smirked at him dryly.  
‘Nope. Only pretty,’ he said, and Yuzuru pursed his lips, eyes glittering in fond amusement as he hummed in a show of careful consideration.  
‘Well…it’s true, I am hideously pretty at basically all times of the day.’ Shoma laughed, nodding slowly.  
‘It’s kind of obscene, honestly.’ He shrugged. ‘But don’t get too full of yourself; I’ve seen you when your alarm goes off at 4am for a press day, remember – I know you’re not that pretty all of the time.’ Yuzuru’s smile was oddly soft as he tapped a thoughtful finger against his lips.  
‘And yet…you always stay.’ Shoma’s own smile gentled, and he glanced down with a soft, self-conscious laugh.  
‘Of course.’ He shrugged, eyes glittering with a hint of a tease. ‘What else am I gonna do, huh? It’s not like I’ve got that busy a schedule.’

The two of them fell into an easy quiet for a while; Shoma pulled out his laptop and read back over his coursework for what felt like the millionth time, whilst Yuzuru wandered over to the shelves which lined the back wall of the space, running his elegant fingers along the leather spines of the books before pulling out the one he needed and sitting halfway up the ladder with it balanced precariously on his lap as he scribbled furiously in one of his many notebooks, a solemn, intent look on his face which belied the curious effervescence Shoma could sense running through his lightning. The stacks’ reading room was a contrast to the lofty storage space it existed within; the furnishings were all rich wood and soft leather, the walls painted in soft morning yellows and antique creams, and there was something grounded and calming about the room, as though some of the weight of the history from the rows of smartly bound old books it housed on its beech shelves had seeped out and infused the space with something rich and warm and indefinable. The quiet was thick and strangely soothing, the only sound coming from the occasional creak of the wooden ladder as Yuzuru climbed up to reach for another book and the heavy tick-tock of the intricate rosewood and gold clock that sat at the head of the desk, the rhythm sporadically disrupted by the click of the dial inside its painted face turning a little to shift its tiny countryside scene to match the shifting hours of the day.

Shoma was used to his mind wandering off until he was lost in his own world; he’d always been perfectly content with his own company, relished any chance he got to just drift out and do nothing for a while, enjoying himself inside his own head – those moments he had to himself had always been precious to him, something he had held on to tightly and that had helped him cope with the noise of the world that his sensing power had always made so loud inside his head. It was something of a revelation to have found someone who he was willing to share that sliver of peace with, a wonder that he didn’t take for granted no matter how naturally it came to him. Yuzuru’s energy was loud and messy and electric, but it was also winding and graceful and undemanding; whilst Yuzuru was an exclamation mark of a person, he was also gentle, woven together out of petals and feathers and spring breezes, and when he was around the feeling of March mizzle cooled the racket that raged from the rest of the world’s energies, melodic and whispering inside Shoma’s skull. Doing nothing with Yuzuru was even better than doing nothing alone; because if he wanted to, he could wordlessly knock into his shoulder or lean against him, there was someone there to listen to some unexpected complaint about his professor or tell a sudden story to – there was this person, content in their own bubble, who had happily set aside his time for him, who wouldn’t flinch if their worlds collided briefly and who would quietly return to his own world if Shoma wanted him to, without fuss or confusion or unwelcome pressure and a hundred questions. Even Itsuki didn’t understand Shoma’s sudden twists of mood sometimes, struggled to entirely latch on to why one moment he couldn’t bear people and the next he was happy to be in the thick of it. But Yuzuru did. And he didn’t roll his eyes or pout about it. He just nodded. And said he understood. Much like Yuzuru and Shoma themselves, the feeling was a mess of contradictions; giddy yet peaceful, bubbling over but somehow grounded and quiet at the same time – it filled Shoma up, pressing on his ribs and dragging out absent smiles he didn’t even notice himself giving. He’d mentioned it to Yuzuru once, back before the two of them had dared to realise they were anything more than friends – late at night when he’d been half-asleep on his shoulder as he’d scribbled down theories for a half-hour or more, something about the milky film of silver light across the garden drawing confessions out from Shoma whilst his guards were down and his eyelids had been drooping. “It’s dumb, right? To enjoy…nothing?” he’d mumbled into the collar of Yuzuru’s jacket, and Yuzuru had hummed, so low and musical that Shoma felt the vibration of it more than he heard the sound itself. “But ask yourself these questions, Shoma: did it hurt anyone? No. And did it make you happy? Yes. That’s not wasted time or something to be ashamed of. That’s peace, Shoma; and it’s something rare and precious, and you are right to hold onto it, because it is so hard to find and yet so few people realise its value. Taking a moment is a magic trick all of its own. So use it in whatever way you want – I won’t judge you. Peace is my greatest wish for anyone, for always.” And Shoma hadn’t said it at the time, but he wished he had: peace was all he wanted for Yuzuru too.

The intensity that existed between them in the silence helped Shoma concentrate; being able to sense someone who could sense him back created a chamber of mirrors between them, ripples and reflections of every feeling stretching out in endless, glinting refractions that made emotions feel both infinite and intimate – Shoma felt his own peace, and Yuzuru’s peace, and his peace reflected in Yuzuru, and Yuzuru’s peace reflected in him, and it was something even better than what he had wordlessly wished for that night back before he had bothered to tell himself just how much Yuzuru meant to him. He shivered slightly, a smile whispering over his lips, and when he glanced up his eyes found Yuzuru’s immediately. He caught him looking back at him with a matching quiet smile on his face, his chin in his hand as he sat halfway up the ladder, head on one side so that a swish of perfectly-fluffy black hair criss-crossed over his forehead and fell into his eyes, which glittered with a starry inner light that made Shoma shiver all over again, a perfect kick of lightning hitting the back of his skull and sending a piano-chord reverberation through his bones. Shoma ran his tongue over the cracks and sore spots over his bottom lip, a hitch in his breath and a blossom of rasping red creeping up from his jawline and into his cheeks. Yuzuru arched an eyebrow, and Shoma could feel the line of his eyes; he took in the pale, rose-pink of his lips as they pursed, his gaze lingering on the raw red lines which broke up the curve of his bottom lip, his eyes swept solemnly along the sharp right-angle where his jawline squared off and over the broad, stubborn lines of his nose and his eyebrows. His eyes followed the line of his cheekbones, as though he were counting the beauty marks and blemishes there, and he studied the bloom of Shoma’s blush like he was following the heat of it up from the neat, determined square of his jawline up to the plains of his cheeks. He studied the criss-cross of dark hair against paler skin and he lingered on the almost sullen set of Shoma’s mouth, the corners cracked and quirked. Yuzuru’s smile quietened into something focused and dark, his eyes near-black as they stayed a moment on Shoma’s own, something wonderous and awed about the way he took in the fall of his fringe as his long lashes caught on in it just a little, his round brown eyes wide and bright as he looked back at Yuzuru with a shy challenge in return. Shoma’s breath hitched as Yuzuru finally lowered his gaze, his eyeline moving to the graceful arch of Shoma’s neck, catching on his collarbone and the determined round-off of his broad shoulders, his tongue briefly poking out from the corner of his mouth as he studied some point just beneath Shoma’s ear before raising his gaze again and offering Shoma a deliberately mild smile, his expression a mask of polite pleasantness as he shrugged and turned back to his notes, tapping his pen against the sticky, freshly-applied coat of marshmallow lip balm on his pursed lips with deliberate rhythm, allowing Shoma a moment of his own to stop and stare. Yuzuru’s features were narrower than Shoma’s; fiddly and fine, pen and ink where Shoma was paint. His lips were thin, his mouth a neat, perfect curve of delicate pink, unbroken and sweet, and Shoma studied it for a moment, noticing the little giveaways that Yuzuru wasn’t as indifferent to Shoma’s gaze as he was trying to seem; he pursed his lips, licked them and worried at them, he popped them slightly and quirked them up and down at the corners in fussy, momentary gestures which were strangely childish and impossibly endearing. His skin was pale, his neck long, his chin an unexpected halt to an otherwise long-lined and ethereal face; Shoma paid attention to the crinkles at the corners of his eyes, the neat, flat lines of his eyebrows and the high, springtime blush which rested perfectly on the apples of his cheeks. A dimple briefly appeared as his expression lifted into a sweetly self-conscious smile, and for a moment his dark, animated eyes became nothing more than two crescents lined by neat, dark lashes. Yuzuru always looked down when Shoma studied him like this, allowed Shoma his space to dwell without feeling self-conscious, but this time Shoma wanted him to look, wanted him to know he was being looked at for who he really was for once, and he punctuated the sentiment with a wash of warm sunlight that made Yuzuru straighten ever so slightly, his eyes slowly wandering up to meet Shoma’s own. And Shoma smiled just a little, swallowing hard and drinking Yuzuru in – the full, wild stretch of him, the limbs knotted up so he could perch on the ladder, the silly roundness of his head and the absurd length of his neck, the impossible grace of him when all put together, the fascinating fragility of his slight frame as it clashed with the strength of muscle and thunder which lay, barely-contained, beneath the surface. He looked back up into Yuzuru’s eyes with a shy smile and lifted one shoulder in a shrug, rolling his eyes and smirking slightly when Yuzuru let out a soft, fond laugh and shook his head at him before turning back to his book.

The two of them both turned their attention back to their work, at least on the surface, but the quiet between them was no longer so quiet, and Shoma was acutely aware of the static in the air. The settled, steady calm was gone, replaced by shivers of sparks and a quick, ascending beat that made Shoma’s breathing feel tight; Yuzuru’s energy was lit up like a Roman candle, hot and hissing and bright, and every time he moved Shoma felt every muscle in his body go tense in irrational anticipation of…something. Yuzuru hopped down from the ladder with a deceptively innocent smile, dropping into the seat opposite Shoma’s to glance at something on his own computer and not even looking up as he kicked Shoma’s shin beneath the desk. Shoma pursed his lips, eyes sparkling as he kicked back, and Yuzuru bit down on a laugh, his eyes staring studiously at the screen in front of him as though nothing had happened at all. It was a familiar pattern to fall into; letting Yuzuru lead but not shying away from his desire to take part, not simply following but willingly engaging in the nonsense, because he wanted to see where it went. Yuzuru stuck his tongue out and Shoma scrawled a doodle on a post-it and stuck it in the centre of his computer screen, Yuzuru pushed his bag back far enough to knock over Shoma’s books, and Shoma rolled his eyes, ducking under the desk to pick up his stuff and pushing Yuzuru’s chair back from under him whilst he was there. Yuzuru pulled a face and climbed back up to his perch on the ladder, and Shoma could feel his gaze, intense and steady on the top of his head as he tried desperately to make some progress on his work. Yuzuru’s focus was an insistent and unremitting thing, and if he chose to shift it on to something, then that is where it would stay until he decided he was bored with it. Yuzuru could change the air in a room with a look; he knew how to suck all the oxygen out of a space, to command attention and make electricity dance down people’s spines – he could do it in a room of thousands, and an audience of just Shoma and a hundred old books was no match for the force of his magnetic field. Shoma looked up and Yuzuru looked down. Shoma rolled his eyes and Yuzuru stuck his tongue out. Shoma sighed dramatically and shook his head, refusing to look up, and Yuzuru pouted and flicked a hammer of lightning to the back of his skull. Shoma fought to not laugh, narrowing his eyes in a show of concentration on his work, and Yuzuru smirked, taking it as a challenge and tossing a balled up piece of paper at Shoma with alarmingly good aim; after being hit squarely in the face by the paper, Shoma lifted his gaze slowly, staring down a beaming Yuzuru with a wicked look in his eyes, his lips curving up at one corner as he slyly picked the paper up from the desk and set it in his palm, blowing it back at Yuzuru with his power. Yuzuru squeaked, flinching as he took the hit before bursting out into a cascade of absurd laughter that made Shoma laugh too, shaking his head and rolling his eyes.  
‘Would you quit it already?’ he asked, fighting his smile, and Yuzuru pursed his lips, tipping his head to one side.  
‘Quit what, Shoma?’ he replied, batting his eyelashes, and Shoma shot him a dry look, his smile crooked and fond despite himself.  
‘Uh, staring at me and bugging me and trying to electrocute me with your dumb lightning? How am I supposed to get my work done, huh? This is due in next week.’ He pulled a face. ‘My university don’t give extensions for saving your disaster boyfriend’s life, apparently.’ Yuzuru laughed, leaning back against the rungs of the ladder with a considering hum.  
‘But I wasn’t technically your boyfriend then,’ he pointed out, and Shoma narrowed his eyes at him.  
‘Sure, because saving my disaster best friend’s life is way more likely to get that deadline pushed back,’ he said archly, and when Yuzuru shot him a dizzyingly soft smile Shoma felt curiously wrongfooted. ‘Stop doing that,’ he whined, and Yuzuru laughed.  
‘Doing what?! This is just my face.’  
‘Then stop your stupid face,’ Shoma laughed, and Yuzuru twisted his lips to one side, eyes glittering and amused.  
‘Pretty sure you’re a fan of my stupid face, actually,’ he sighed airily before glancing down, his expression softening. ‘Also, you should know…you were my best friend too.’ He shrugged. ‘You still are, by the way,’ he added quietly, looking back at Shoma through his fringe, and Shoma felt his breath hitch slightly, a blush rising in his cheeks once more as he smiled back at him helplessly.  
‘Shut up.’ Yuzuru wrinkled his nose.  
‘You tell me that, like, 500 times a day.’ Shoma smirked.  
‘Then stop talking already, Thunder Boy.’

Yuzuru’s face was a mixture of amusement and outrage, and Shoma quirked an eyebrow at him in challenge, causing him to let out a soft, silly laugh almost instantly, his head dropping forwards and his hair flying up wildly. Shoma bit his lip, his heart turning over painfully inside his chest as Yuzuru leant forward on his elbows to look back at him with a goofy, lolling smile, his tongue poking out from the corner of his mouth as he widened his eyes playfully.  
‘You’re such a monster to me, huh?’ he huffed, but something about the way he said it made it sound like a compliment and Shoma found himself blushing again.  
‘You’re relentless,’ he groaned, tipping his head back for a moment before slowly looking back at him from the corner of his eye. ‘How do I get you to just…not? For, like…an hour?’ Yuzuru laughed.  
‘Shoma, are you letting me name my price?’ he asked, and Shoma was instinctively wary of the glimmer in his eyes.  
‘I never said that.’ He pursed his lips, some stubborn, curious part of him wanting to dig in and see if he could match Yuzuru challenge for challenge. ‘But…what exactly is your price, Hanyu?’ Yuzuru’s eyes sparkled a little more brightly and Shoma felt a prickle of electricity run through his bones. Yuzuru tapped a finger to his lips, sitting up again and tipping his head playfully.  
‘A kiss?’ Shoma narrowed his eyes at him.  
‘Admit you’re a nightmare and I’ll consider it,’ he shot back. There was laughter in Yuzuru’s eyes, but he kept his lips pursed as he hummed in consideration.  
‘I mean…you say nightmare, but I would say…gift to the world is maybe a more accurate description, no?’ Shoma smirked.  
‘How is it you convinced me to save your dumb life when you are you this much of a pain?’ Yuzuru let out a bright laugh, leaning back again and giving Shoma an idle shrug.  
‘You think I’m such a pain, but you said it yourself: you still saved my life…a long time before you think you did too, actually.’ Shoma swallowed, his smile turning shy as he glanced down at his hands for a beat. ‘What, no quip? No comeback? No snark or sarcasm or attitude, huh?’ Yuzuru asked, his voice gentle and lilting despite the hint of amusement at its edges, and Shoma scrunched his face up, offering him a half-hearted glare.  
‘You’re such a dork,’ he muttered, and Yuzuru’s whole face lit up as he offered Shoma a tiny clap that pulled a reluctant laugh out of him instantly.  
‘There’s my Shoma,’ Yuzuru declared happily, and Shoma rolled his eyes. ‘So…kiss?’ Shoma rolled his eyes and bit back a grin.  
‘In your dreams, Hanyu.’ Yuzuru quirked an eyebrow.  
‘Oh, for sure, all the time,’ he nodded, casual and quick, and Shoma pursed his lips. ‘But real life is so much better, don’t you think?’ Yuzuru tipped his head curiously, and Shoma let out a soft laugh, conscious of the heat in his cheeks. Yuzuru studied his blush for a moment, his expression thoughtful, then he lifted his eyes to meet Shoma’s once more, his smile gentle and his eyes alight as he lifted his fingers to his lips and blew Shoma a kiss. Shoma let out a faint, strangled sound which wasn’t quite a laugh, and Yuzuru’s face scrunched up with a ridiculous, infectious kind of happiness that made Shoma’s whole body vibrate like music.  
‘Such an idiot,’ Shoma murmured, shaking his head and turning back to his laptop in a poor attempt to hide his smile, and Yuzuru simply laughed, unperturbed.

For a minute Shoma tried to concentrate on his work, tried to pretend he couldn’t feel Yuzuru’s eyes studying him from across the room, but he knew it was useless, and eventually he let out a huff of breath, throwing his hands up and sinking back in his chair with a groan. ‘What!?!’ he demanded petulantly, even as a smile tugged at the far corner of his lips, and Yuzuru smiled like he knew he’d won.  
‘Nothing.’ He lifted one shoulder in a shrug, his expression devilish despite his languid posture. ‘But you know, Shoma…you should always be careful to catch a kiss someone sends you.’ Shoma frowned and Yuzuru shrugged again, setting down his book and pulling his legs up to sit cross-legged and straight, the full force of him focused on Shoma with electric intensity. ‘If you don’t then it might just fly away on the breeze, unclaimed. Lost and unseen and unknown.’ Shoma laughed faintly, high and bemused.  
‘Yuzu, I’m not catching a kiss,’ he complained, and Yuzuru made a small, noncommittal sound, bobbing his head thoughtfully.  
‘Ok.’ He licked his lips, widening his eyes at Shoma just a little, and Shoma felt his lightning shiver to the surface of his skin suddenly – Yuzuru met his gaze with a knowing smile, and Shoma forgot to blink, to breathe, to move at all. Everything was lightning and drums for just a heartbeat, and Yuzuru lifted his fingers to his lips again, blowing out another kiss, but this time infusing it with a twist of his power, sparks flying out with the faintest of breezes and petals falling away from his hands as a pretty, tiny pink butterfly emerged in the air in front of him and headed straight across the room towards Shoma’s face. It was absurd and brilliant and so Yuzuru that Shoma couldn’t help but laugh, watching breathlessly as the butterfly made straight for him, circling his head and flittering up to his hair. He felt it land then take off again, this time perching on the back of his hand.  
‘Yuzu,’ he grumbled, his smile giving him away, and Yuzuru simply shrugged and picked up his book.  
‘I warned you,’ he sing-songed, and Shoma rolled his eyes.  
‘And I’m not this easily beaten,’ he shot back. Yuzuru’s lips twitched slightly.  
‘I wouldn’t love you if you were,’ he replied without looking up, and it took everything Shoma had in him to simply shake his head and turn back to his work.

Unfortunately, it was impossible to concentrate in a room which had had its centre of gravity disrupted by Yuzuru’s mischief, and it was more impossible still for Shoma to concentrate on anything with a tiny, determined little butterfly flapping around his face and dancing about his keyboard with the same absurd delight as Yuzuru had had when he’d conjured it. Shoma ducked and the butterfly simply drew closer to his face. Shoma brushed it away and it landed on top of his head. Shoma picked his laptop up, moved to the opposite chair and sat with his back to Yuzuru, and the butterfly followed him every step of the way, returning to hover right in front of his nose the moment he was seated again. Shoma wasn’t exactly sure how long he persisted in trying to stand his ground – five minutes, ten, fifteen – but he had known from the second Yuzuru had fixed him with that sparkling look it would be impossible, and, after a while, he sighed heavily, turning around to shoot Yuzuru as dry a look as he could manage with a butterfly flittering around on the periphery of his vision.  
‘Fine,’ he said, shooing the butterfly back just a little and looking up at Yuzuru with determination. ‘You want a kiss?’ Yuzuru nodded, impish glee in his eyes, and Shoma nodded back, quick and resolute. ‘Deal,’ he said, a stubborn challenge and a hint of sunburn in the words that made Yuzuru’s eyes shine, and Shoma wasn’t entirely sure who was winning, but he also wasn’t sure he cared.

Yuzuru held out a hand to Shoma, eyebrows raised in an expression which was somewhere between hope and mischief, and Shoma rolled his eyes slightly, a small smile tugging at his lips as he sighed heavily and pushed himself up from his seat. He thrust his hand into Yuzuru’s with slightly more force than was necessary, deliberately bratty and ungracious, and something sparked in Yuzuru’s eyes, his fingers gripping on ridiculously tight as he yanked Shoma up onto the ladder with such force he had to steady himself on the rail to not crash into Yuzuru’s body and send them both tumbling. He pushed himself upright, standing on the bottom step of the ladder and looking up into Yuzuru’s face with an attempt at a glare, and Yuzuru tilted his head, his lips pursed and curved into a childish, innocent smile.  
‘Oops?’ Shoma pursed his lips and stretched, pulling himself up so their faces were level and leaning in close, pushing onto his tiptoes to give himself a fractional height advantage. His fringe was brushing Yuzuru’s forehead, their bodies held tense to keep a sliver of space between them, and Yuzuru’s eyes turned starry-dark and intent as he looked up into Shoma’s face for a moment, neither one of them seeming to dare to breathe. Shoma dipped his head, letting his lips brush Yuzuru’s for a fraction of a second, just long enough to feel the sticky coat of marshmallow and the ache of longing to taste it more intensely than he cared to admit, and Yuzuru’s mouth twitched up at one corner, knowing and mildly amused. Yuzuru tipped his chin up and Shoma stretched up with him, trying to maintain his height advantage, and Yuzuru let out a soft laugh. He tipped his head up again, this time letting his lips touch ever so lightly against Shoma’s own before he arched back a little, drawing away from Shoma enough to look more clearly into his face, his eyes narrowed. ‘A proper kiss,’ he stated firmly, and Shoma studied his expression for a moment, putting up a small show of resistance that Yuzuru met by offering out his hand, and Shoma broke immediately, letting out a soft, begrudging laugh and rolling his eyes.  
‘Fine. Proper kiss,’ he nodded, giving the expected low-five and following it up by bumping their fists together then hooking their little fingers in a firm handshake. For a beat he looked down at their joined hands, letting the suddenly heavy air settle in around him and feeling a spiral of unwound lightning work its way through his bones before slowly lifting his gaze back up to meet Yuzuru’s.

The two of them stared at each other for a beat, Shoma craning his neck to keep his body poised in position over Yuzuru, who stretched up again, close enough that Shoma could feel his breath tickle his skin. Shoma’s eyes flickered closed, and he felt Yuzuru shift just a little, their foreheads touching; Shoma’s breath caught, his heart stuttering slightly, and he could feel the line of Yuzuru’s smile in response. Yuzuru touched a finger to Shoma’s neck, tracing a slow, deliberate line up to his chin, and Shoma drew in a scratch of air. Yuzuru smiled again, quiet and rough, and Shoma felt him move up, pulling himself to a higher step, his face drawing away from Shoma’s so that a sudden coolness came over him and he let his eyes blink open to gaze unfocusedly up at Yuzuru just as he retreated another step. Yuzuru arched an eyebrow and Shoma licked his lips, stretching up further and pulling himself to stand on the next step, bringing their faces close once more. Yuzuru let out a breathy, ticklish laugh, and Shoma kissed his chin, the corner of his mouth and moved back to try to meet his lips, but just as he felt a ghost of a touch, Yuzuru drew back again. His body was all hum and vibration and Shoma’s was all longing, and he let himself be drawn up towards Yuzuru once again, this time putting a hand to his chest and twisting his fingers in the fabric of his shirt to hold him in place, decisive and unashamedly fierce as he tipped his head up and caught Yuzuru’s lips before he could escape again.

The kiss was slow but fierce, and Shoma could feel Yuzuru bring a hand up to his waist, his nails digging into him just a little as he pulled him closer, bringing his body up to meet his own with steady sureness and humming as Shoma pressed against him, dragging his nails a little at the dip of his shoulder as he leant into the kiss. Yuzuru’s body was graceful tension against Shoma’s own as he drew his slender frame up to meet him, and Shoma tugged at him in response, moving his hand up into Yuzuru’s hair and dragging his teeth a little against Yuzuru’s bottom lip as he moved to kiss his chin again, his cheek, his temple, the curve of his ear, smiling at Yuzuru’s sigh before moving back once more to his lips, raking the ridges of his fingerprints down the back of Yuzuru’s neck, pressing hard enough that he could feel the elegant line of his spine and the shift of his muscles as he turned his head, allowing Shoma to kiss lower – the line of his jaw, the curve of his neck, his collar bone. He tugged at his free hand and kissed his palm, his knuckles, the soft, warm skin of his wrist, and then Yuzuru dug his nails into Shoma’s waist, slipping his fingers beneath the hem of his shirt and brushing them lightly along his skin with a knowing gentleness that made Shoma shiver, hissing slightly and letting his head loll back as he stretched his spine up in a curve towards Yuzuru’s touch. Yuzuru smiled – wicked and slow, and Shoma saw a blur of it through his half-closed eyes – and he dipped in, kissing beneath Shoma’s chin and down his neck before turning his attention back to the side of his face, the corner of his mouth and finally his lips once more. Shoma felt like there must be imprints of marshmallow and lightning all over his skin, and he hummed, bringing both his hands up to Yuzuru’s neck as he leant into the kiss once more. Yuzuru moved a hand up to reverently mark the curve of Shoma’s face, brushing at his hair and curling his fingers at the square of his jaw, and Shoma tugged at him in response, his fingers curling into fists that scrunched up the fabric of Yuzuru’s shirt. Shoma could smell bergamot and citrus, and the air around them felt impossibly still and hushed, like it was closing them off from the rest of the world. The room was incongruously bright for the heaviness of the moment, but behind his closed eyelids all Shoma knew was lightning and stars. Yuzuru took his hand, his thumb drifting up to run across Shoma’s power mark for a moment before he pressed a kiss to his knuckles and moved back to kiss his neck and the shell of his ear. Shoma drew in a sharp hiss of breath and Yuzuru’s laugh tickled against the top of his ear as he pressed a quick kiss into his hair.

After a beat Yuzuru pulled back, running his thumb along the curve of Shoma’s long lashes, brushing his fringe to one side and tenderly holding his face in his hands for a moment to press a kiss to his forehead, and Shoma slowly opened his eyes to look up dazedly. A slow smile crossed Yuzuru’s features, and he leant their foreheads together, kissing the tip of Shoma’s nose and holding them that way for a moment; Shoma could feel his heartbeat against his palm where it had come to rest against his chest, and he could feel the slight raggedness to his breathing – it made him smile, to not just sense that Yuzuru felt the same way about him, but to physically know it, to have tangible proof beneath his fingers. Yuzuru let out a soft laugh, as though he had heard the thought, and he kissed the corner of Shoma’s eye. Shoma swallowed hard and let his eyes flicker closed again, and Yuzuru sighed, trailing another path of kisses from Shoma’s temple to his cheek bone to the corner of his mouth before capturing his lips for one more press of a kiss. Somewhere by his shoulder, Shoma was dimly aware of the tiny butterfly dissolving in a waterfall of pale pink sparks.

For a moment they held themselves like that, and then, slowly, delicately, Shoma drew back, arching his body carefully away from Yuzuru’s as he opened his eyes to look at him; Shoma felt a sly smile colour his features as he took a deliberate step down, and Yuzuru whimpered at the loss of contact, his eyes blinking open, slow and uncomprehendingly, as his body moved instinctively to chase for the heat of Shoma’s own. Shoma quirked an eyebrow, taking another step down and laughing at the way Yuzuru studied his face so solemnly, his gaze intense and glittering as he licked his lips and slid down another step himself, tugging Shoma back towards him by his jacket and moving in to bring their faces level again. He looked Shoma up and down, taking in his features with dark, knowing eyes – the look made Shoma shiver, and he caught the quirk of Yuzuru’s mouth at the corner as he tipped his chin up a little like he’d won. Shoma felt his own lips curl a little, and he pursed them, eyes sparkling as he took another step down, and Yuzuru’s body leant forwards to follow, another wet, wistful protest coming from the back of his throat as he tugged at Shoma a little harder, needy and insistent as he slid down another step of the ladder and pulled Shoma’s body close, pressing a kiss to his lips before he could get away again. Shoma smiled into the kiss, twisting his body so that somehow he and Yuzuru ended up side by side, their bodies winding together as Yuzuru moved in time with him, turning and cupping his face with his hand, his other hand moving to his knee, pressing his weight against Shoma with deliberate urgency.

This kiss was quicker, messier – too many teeth and faces bumping into each other with a beautiful lack of choreography that made Shoma let out a breathy laugh, and Yuzuru beamed, kissing his neck at the point where the sound vibrated thorough Shoma’s skin with silly delight. Shoma twisted back, resting his forehead to Yuzuru’s and humming as he felt his fingers graze lightly at the back of his neck, running soothingly through his hair for a moment before he let his nails graze his scalp as he moved back in to kiss the square of his jaw and the corner of his mouth before drawing back with a happy sigh. Shoma’s eyes flickered open and Yuzuru moved to cup his face in his hands, kissing the bridge of his nose before resting their heads together once more. He looked at Shoma like he was some incredible treasure he was just seeing for the first time – he always did – and Shoma felt a shiver of feeling run through his body, his heart lodging somewhere in his throat. Yuzuru smiled, trailing his fingers down the curve of Shoma’s neck with ticklish lightness, and Shoma whimpered, squirming against his side. Yuzuru pressed a chaste, placatory kiss to his lips and leant back enough to meet his eyes.  
‘Technically, that was more than one kiss,’ Shoma croaked, a blush coming to his cheeks at the rough, breathy earnestness of his own voice, and Yuzuru laughed, peppering the line of the blush with a row of kisses as he let out a humming sigh.  
‘You never were so good at maths, Sho…and I’m not so sure your mind was on counting.’ Shoma made a wet whimper of a sound as Yuzuru repeated his line of kisses along the other side of his face, moving down to follow them line of his neck.  
‘Yuzu.’ Yuzuru laughed and Shoma shuddered at the ticklish feel of his breath against his skin; he gave Yuzuru a half-hearted shove, and he pulled back, tipping his head slightly and lifting a hand to carefully brush at Shoma’s fringe.  
‘Let’s just add it to my long list of debts to Shoma Uno, huh?’

Shoma frowned slightly, and Yuzuru offered him a twinkling, delicate smile, shrugging and pulling back to look into his face a little better, one hand still resting at his jaw and the other moving to tuck some of his hair back into place with another sigh. ‘Why are you always so surprised that you mean something to me?’ he asked gently, and Shoma bit his lip, looking down at his hands with a small shrug.  
‘I don’t know. I guess…because sometimes I take myself by surprise.’ He looked up at Yuzuru through his fringe. ‘I’ve always…kind of assumed my power wasn’t meant for me, that the affection people give me isn’t meant for me…that there’s a chance I stumbled into someone else’s life because my head’s in the clouds and I’m half-asleep most of the time.’ Yuzuru nodded slightly, pursing his lips and studying Shoma’s face. He brushed at his fringe again, something tender and reverent in the action that made Shoma ache.  
‘Shoma.’ The way Yuzuru said his name made him ache even more; so gentle, so full of meaning – wonder and love and reprimand, helpless longing and fierce belief. He said Shoma’s name the same way he looked at him: with starlight and feeling. ‘You are so stubborn and solid and immovable; it’s not the flaw you think it is.’ Shoma smiled slightly, looking up into Yuzuru’s eyes.  
‘And why is that any use to you, exactly? Aren’t you all those things too?’ Yuzuru laughed, widening his eyes playfully and resting his forehead to Shoma’s for a beat.  
‘Of course I am. But I’m also flighty and fragile and prone to falling – and neither one of us is good at knowing when to stop.’ He shrugged, pulling back to meet Shoma’s eyes again. ‘You have a greater sense of self-preservation than I do, but that doesn’t stop you feeling until you break; you face your fears every day just by letting people be close to you, because once you care you know it won’t ever truly end, and there is no real way to protect yourself from the dangers of that.’ Yuzuru looked down then, lifting one shoulder in a faint shrug. ‘And for all it costs you, you still keep coming back to me. Without any complaint…or at least…with constant complaint but no demand for change, for me to be someone different or someone better.’ His lips twitched in a half smile, and Shoma reached up to touch a finger to his chin, bringing his eyes back up to meet his own.  
‘Yuzu,’ he whispered, and Yuzuru’s smile widened a little, his eyes so dark they almost seemed black as he took a small breath and pressed a brief kiss to Shoma’s lips.  
‘Hi.’ Shoma let out a soft breath of a laugh.  
‘Hi.’ He pressed a kiss of his own to the corner of Yuzuru’s mouth. ‘Talk to me.’ Yuzuru’s head bobbed slightly, and he looked into Shoma’s eyes with a murmur of a smile.  
‘I just wish you knew, Shoma; how rare it is for there to be someone like you. Because me? I know. I’ve seen half the world. I’ve met so many people. But…there is only one Shoma. I know it, I know there is no one else who could ever see me – know me – the way you do.’ He traced the outline of Shoma’s face, his gaze wandering to follow the path as he sighed thoughtfully. ‘I meant what I said: you saved my life before you knew you’d done it…or…maybe I didn’t need saving, so much. Maybe I just…needed to be lifted up instead of always fighting the voices of those who would rather drag me down. I was tired of giving PR smiles and no one knowing that’s what they were – you knew the day I met you, though. I could tell from the way you looked at me; you saw right through.’ He shrugged. ‘You don’t try to fix me. You don’t make me feel like I’m failing or like I need to change. You just hold me. Right as I am. You let me just be tired. And wild. And unwound. And a total pain. You let me be lightning, unless I don’t want to be – and you’re not disappointed if I’m anything else. You just…know me. And it brings back the colour, and reminds me why I still have faith in things: because there is sunlight, there is love, even if it is quiet and must be looked for. You make me live instead of waiting to see who I’m going to disappoint next. You picked me up when I was on the ground; I never told you that’s where I was, but you knew, and you took my hand, and you reminded me that just because I’m covered in rain it doesn’t mean I can’t still fight, it doesn’t mean I’m not capable of being the person so many want me to be. The person you see in me and never stop seeing even when I’m broken. You lit a flame in me which I was scared for so long was fading out; now I’m more me than ever. You lifted me up higher than I was before – higher than higher. It was you. It was because there is only this one boundless heart, this one sun – it was you, and it always is, every time.’ Shoma gazed at him for a moment, lips slightly parted as he held his breath; he wanted, desperately, to tell him a million things at once, to come up with words that might seem more grand or special than the ones which he felt were on the tip of his tongue. But Yuzuru had always found a kind of magic in Shoma’s insight – in the way he edited and cut to the heart, the way he chose only the words that mattered. So he wet his lips, and looked up into Yuzuru’s face, and said the words he knew Yuzuru hardly ever heard from anyone.  
‘I get that.’ He lifted one shoulder in a shy shrug, his smile gentle and wonky. ‘And…you know…it’s…it’s the same for me too. Since the start…it was always the same for me. I…always knew. And so did you.’

They stared at each other for a beat; the sound of Yuzuru’s breathing was the only thing Shoma could hear, and there was something fascinating about the rhythm of it, about the steady rise and fall of his chest, the way it reduced him back to flash and bone and stripped his lightning off him…and yet, he was still brilliant, still electric. Shoma hardly noticed himself reaching out a hand to trace the neat, perfect lines of Yuzuru’s face, but as his fingertips grazed Yuzuru’s skin he caught the hitch in his breath and smiled, enchanted by the way Yuzuru let himself be seen that way; needy and soft and human – vulnerable and quiet. His eyes followed the path of his fingers along Yuzuru’s jawline and down the long line of his neck to the dip of his shoulder, and when Yuzuru shivered a little at the lightness of the touch he pressed more firmly, drawing his hand back up with a deliberate firmness that made Yuzuru’s body soften and surrender, the sweet pink of his smile a shy curve and his eyes heavy-lidded as Shoma finally looked back up into them. ‘You’re beautiful,’ he breathed, then he tensed a little, swallowing hard. ‘And ridiculous,’ he added with a slight, self-conscious twist of his lips as he quickly looked down, and Yuzuru leant in, touching a finger to his chin and dipping his head to meet his eyes. Shoma let out a breath of a laugh, shaking his head slightly and biting his lip, and Yuzuru quirked an eyebrow at him, his expression kind and curious. Shoma sighed. ‘You’re beautiful because you’re ridiculous.’ He shrugged. ‘I just thought…you should know that.’ Yuzuru’s smile was quiet and full, and he leaned in with aching slowness, pressing his forehead to Shoma’s and bringing his lips agonisingly close, holding his head at a slight angle so that his breath ghosted over Shoma’s lips and made his body instinctively draw closer, his spine arching a little as his ribcage grew tight. Yuzuru dipped his head, pressing a kiss to his neck, and Shoma gasped as he felt the delicate pressure of it at his pulse point, the faint, delighted curve of Yuzuru’s smile against the heat of his skin setting off a hundred paper planes inside his chest. He squeezed his eyes shut and swallowed, rolling his head to one side to let Yuzuru kiss his neck, the sensitive skin just behind his ear and the side of his face, and he let his hands fall to press against Yuzuru’s chest, applying just enough pressure against him to feel the shift of muscle over bone as he moved towards him, gently coaxing his chin up so he could kiss his lips. Shoma let out a faint whimper as Yuzuru’s teeth dragged at his bottom lip, and he moved back to his neck, kissing underneath his chin and following a path down to the dip between his collar bones, insistent and sweet at the same time. Shoma sighed and pulled back, dragging Yuzuru’s face up to his own once more and pressing a kiss to his lips – one, two, and then a third that ended up meeting the corner of his mouth as the two of them lost themselves in the contact and the force of each other’s bodies. Shoma arched up as Yuzuru ran his fingers along the line of his spine, skin touching skin at the point where his shirt had ridden up and making Shoma gasp again, drawing impossibly closer to Yuzuru’s body as he pressed haphazard kisses to his chin, his cheek, the square of his jaw and then lower along the length of his neck. Yuzuru let him, letting his head roll to one side even as he continued to draw patterns up and down Shoma’s spine before he let out a faint gasp of his own when Shoma’s teeth grazed the soft skin at the dip of his shoulder. Shoma felt a sly smile cross his lips, and he pulled back, drawing up to kneel slightly so he could look down into Yuzuru’s unfocused eyes; he bit his lip as he stared down at him, his hands coming to rest at his neck, and Yuzuru made a soft, damp sound of demand that drew out a laugh from him. His hair was mussed, his fringe falling in his eyes, and Shoma knew he must look the same – dishevelled and unravelled, eyes starry and shimmers of pink lip balm all across his face. He bent just enough to kiss Yuzuru’s lips, chaste and quick, but Yuzuru had other ideas, his fingers twisting in the fabric of Shoma’s shirt, pulling him down to deepen the kiss.

Shoma had forgotten, almost entirely, where they were, had almost forgotten everything before that moment – all he knew was how to move his body so it matched the grace of Yuzuru’s. He enjoyed these curious moments where nothing else mattered, and he could give in to the nagging desire inside him to learn everything about Yuzuru there was to know; like his soul was a story and his body could be mapped. He knew now which point on his neck to kiss to make him shiver and how to play with his hair in a way that made him blush, he knew that he could draw a laugh out of him by kissing the point between his eyebrows then touching a finger to the same spot, he knew that kissing the shell of his ear made him hum and that his whole body seemed to stretch up every time Shoma’s fingers traced the ridges of his spine down his back. It was glorious and intoxicating. He didn’t want it to end, and, after taking a moment to pull back and catch his breath, he began a new path, this lips curling wickedly as Yuzuru dug his nails into his skin in a silent dare.

He was kissing the arch of Yuzuru’s neck again – intending to trace another path back to his lips – when the sound of someone behind him clearing their throat caught him off guard, and he jerked back with a faint squeak, almost falling from his precarious place on the ladder and blushing fiercely when Yuzuru let out a giddy laugh, catching him easily and running cool, gentle fingers over his blush for a heartbeat before his eyes turned to a figure in the doorway. Shoma swallowed and also turned, his heart hammering outside of his chest; he felt suddenly panicked and dizzy as he caught sight of an amused-looking Jason standing watching them, eyebrows raised and arms folded, and Yuzuru kindly rubbed a hand over his back, pressing a peck of a kiss to his blush before resting his chin on his shoulder and scrunching his face up at Jason in a teasing show of disapproval.  
‘How long have you been standing there, huh?’ he demanded, and Jason let out a laugh, widening his eyes and pretending to fan himself as he leant against the doorframe.  
‘Oh, long enough, believe me,’ he grinned, eyes sparkling impishly as he looked between the two of them. ‘Definitely long enough to know exactly where those bruises on your neck came from tomorrow morning.’ Shoma groaned.  
‘Oh my God,’ he muttered, tipping his head back, and Yuzuru let out a silly laugh, sticking his tongue out at Jason petulantly.  
‘Please, why do you think I picked a Healer for a boyfriend, huh?’ Jason laughed and Shoma let out another dull groan.  
‘You’re not making this better,’ he whined, but Yuzuru simply smiled at him, pulling a face before looking back over at Jason with a playful scowl.  
‘What do you want, Jason – you never use your stacks pass.’ Jason grinned.  
‘A fact you were apparently counting on.’ Yuzuru narrowed his eyes at him and he put his hands up in a show of surrender, eyes still sparkling with amusement even as he made a kind and valiant attempt to stifle his laugh. ‘You know, honestly? I was just looking for someone to help me with this speech I’m supposed to give…since it’s supposed to be in Japanese and the Shibs told me they saw you guys heading back here. But…maybe I should go find Satton instead…because you two are clearly _super_ busy and…honestly? I don’t need to know how to say “Yuzu is so hot” in Japanese so…’ Shoma shot him a glare, and Yuzuru nudged his side, catching his eye with a devilish smile.  
‘Hey, Shoma: you wanna show Jason what happens when you mess with us?’ he asked, quirking an eyebrow, and a slow grin touched Shoma’s lips. Yuzuru held out his little finger, and Shoma let out a soft laugh, bobbing his head in a nod as he hooked his finger around Yuzuru’s, meeting his eyes with a mixture of gratitude and affection that made Yuzuru scrunch his face up at him for a moment before he cast his eyes back in Jason’s direction. ‘You might want to start running now,’ he said brightly, his smile mischievous despite his studiously pleasant tone, and Shoma laughed again, looking back at Jason with a shrug.  
‘Yeah, me and Yuzu make a pretty good team.’ Jason widened his eyes, a smile on his lips even as he let out a high, silly “Uh-oh” and began backing away, and Shoma and Yuzuru exchanged a glance before Yuzuru suddenly sprung into action, scrambling down the ladder and pulling Shoma with him.

As Jason turned and began to run, Yuzuru squeezed Shoma’s hand; the three of them were breathless and laughing as they took off through the maze of the stacks, Yuzuru unashamedly happy as he wound his way between the bookcases with Shoma in tow, the two of them using their powers as they went, teasing and tormenting a helpless, still-beaming Jason, who played along without complaint. It was a different sort of peace, but it was still peace, Shoma knew – to feel so content, so safe, so much like the world outside couldn’t touch him. Yuzuru’s energy was steady at his back, all gold skies and pink lightning, and inside his chest Shoma felt clouds, white and full, framing his sunlight in trails of white.  
‘You look drunk when you smile like that,’ Yuzuru grinned, lifting their joined hands to kiss Shoma’s palm as they ran, and Shoma rolled his eyes, digging an elbow into his side.  
‘Not drunk, just high.’ Yuzuru laughed.  
‘Higher than higher?’ Shoma smiled back at him, nodding.  
‘Higher than higher. With you. Always.’

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much, as always, to all of you for reading, it means so much to me that you take the time to deal with my wordcountsand I hope to be back with more Miracles for you all soon xxx
> 
> Now, for my friend, my girl, my twin, my Murder Cutie Squad Leader, my fellow cave-dweller and my favourite noticer of butterflies. No matter how many times I might have told you that you knew nothing, we both know that you do, in fact, know everything about this and also that this one is for you. You have been there for me through battle and trial and dumb nonsense, you are a hero and a bringer of smiles on the worst days and the best days and I am forever grateful to have someone like you to hide under a rock with when the rest of the world is just too much – because your existence is a gift to me, I hope this story can be the gift you deserve in return. I love you endlessly, thank you for your presence in the world and in my life and I really hope you enjoyed this just a little.xxxxxx


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